'No one wants us in the final, but we're there'

The strains of the afternoon's bellowed theme were still echoing around the streets of Stretford when Dennis Wise put his feet up an hour after the final whistle, and then only so he could have his knee stitched. "He's only five foot four," came the refrain from the victorious Millwall fans. "He'll break your jaw."

The chant will send a shiver down Callum Davidson's spine when it is hollered in Cardiff next month though, for all its sinister overtones, it is delivered in appreciative worship across a pocket of south-east London. Six months into his managerial career, Wise has taken Millwall to their first-ever FA Cup final and into Europe. A reminder that they are also serious contenders to clamber into the Premiership is delivered as an afterthought.

"I never thought it would go this well, not in a million years," said the 37-year-old as his son Henry, perched on his lap, complained into the microphone that he needed to go to the toilet. The four-year-old is too big these days for Wise to consider lugging him up to collect the trophy.

"At first [the chairman] Theo Paphitis didn't know how long I'd be doing the job but I enjoyed it so much I told him I'd be here as long as he was.

"This is up there with everything I've achieved in my career. Just to see those players' faces - they believed we could get there, so did Theo and I'm chuffed we've achieved it. Christ, I haven't even got the coaching badges yet. I'm doing the B badge but I'm not even sure I'll be allowed to manage in the Uefa Cup next year. You laugh but it's mad."

Millwall may have avoided top-flight opponents all the way to Cardiff, the first side since Bolton in 1953 to do so, but the rejuvenation under Wise is still staggering. When he was appointed at The Den as successor to Mark McGhee in October, the club was meandering, all impetus from promotion to the First Division three years ago having seeped away.

Today they sit fifth, with Manchester United to come, and Paphitis technically obliged to streak around Trafalgar Square. "I've been told he's only got a little winkie, too," said Wise, the chairman's playful bet having backfired, though - to the relief of tourists and pigeons alike - a "substantial" donation to charity will suffice instead.

Much more of this and the midfielder will be in danger of earning a good name for himself. "Dennis could start a fight in an empty room," said Sir Alex Ferguson once and Wise's reputation still precedes him. The memory of the conviction and prison sentence for an assault on a taxi driver almost 10 years ago, though overturned on appeal, still lingers.

Indeed, he arrived at The Den having been sacked by Leicester for allegedly attacking his sleeping team-mate Davidson after a dispute over a card game. "Everyone sticks together at this club," said the striker Neil Harris. "No one likes us and no one wants us in the final but we're there." That siege mentality suits Wise down to the ground.

Through spirit and organisation, and with Ray Wilkins at his side, Wise has transformed an apparently average squad. The personnel have not radically altered since McGhee's departure. Daniele Dichio and the goalkeeper Andy Marshall, outstanding yesterday, have been recruited but they were outcasts at West Bromwich and Ipswich respectively. Wise has instilled belief.

No one epitomised that more than the centre-halves Darren Ward and Matt Lawrence. Ward was under-used and underrated at Watford and Lawrence was to be released by McGhee, having failed to convince at right-back. "I spoke to a few people who told me Matty was a better centre-half than full-back," said Wise. The pair formed the solid unit upon which Sunderland broke yesterday with Kevin Kyle, at whom the Wearsiders aimed a barrage, hardly winning a header all day.

Just as significantly, Wise overcame the disruption caused by the loss of Paul Ifill and Kevin Muscat to injury. The Australian's reputation as a bruiser deflects attention from his role as Millwall's organiser, his presence across the back line as vital as Wise's snapping in midfield.

"We had to adjust but we did," added the victorious manager. "The boys deserve this and we'll be going to Cardiff to win it. Beating United would be a bigger shock than beating Liverpool with Wimbledon in 1988 but our main aim this season was to gain promotion. I don't want this to take over."

The unlikely finalists

1990 Crystal Palace

Knocked over Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool, the holders, 4-3 in the semi-final and held Manchester United 3-3 in the final only to lose the replay 1-0. It was a game remembered for Alex Ferguson dropping keeper Jim Leighton and playing Les Sealey instead.

1983 Brighton

Managed by Jimmy Melia, right, Brighton knocked out Liverpool at Anfield in the quarter-final and beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the semi before holding Manchester United 2-2 in the final, with Gordon Smith making his name with a goal and that miss. Lost the replay 4-0.

1980 West Ham

The last lower division team to win the Cup. Beat three top-flight sides: Aston Villa in the quarter-final, Everton in a semi replay thanks to Frank Lampard Sr's diving header, and Arsenal 1-0 in the final.

1976 Southampton

Defeated Malcolm Allison's then-Third Division side Crystal Palace 2-1 in the semi-final and then produced one of the big Cup upsets when Bobby Stokes's goal sunk Manchester United 1-0.

1973 Sunderland

Then of the old Second Division, they beat Arsenal 2-1 in the semi-final before producing arguably the biggest post-war upset when Ian Porterfield's goal and Jim Montgomerie's saves saw them through 1-0 against Don Revie's legendary Leeds team.

1964 Preston

The then-Second Division club defeated Swansea Town from the same division in their semi only to come up against West Ham of the first in the final. Lost 3-2 in a game featuring Howard Kendall in Preston's colours. At the age of 17 years and 265 days he remained the youngest finalist until 1980.